10 Toxic Relationships On TV You Still Root For

With so many examples of healthy and beautiful relationships on ‘Friends,’ why did the show spend so much time focusing on Rachel and Ross? For years they butted into each other’s lives and ensured their mutual unhappiness and loneliness. (Photo: Release)

With so many examples of healthy and beautiful relationships on ‘Friends,’ why did the show spend so much time focusing on Rachel and Ross? For years they butted into each other’s lives and ensured their mutual unhappiness and loneliness. (Photo: Release)

Leonard and Penny don’t really even seem to like each other that much. Penny feels inadequate because of Leonard’s IQ. Leonard is so in awe with her beauty that can become petty and jealous fairly easily. They’re just not meant to be together! (Photo: Release)

Leonard and Penny don’t really even seem to like each other that much. Penny feels inadequate because of Leonard’s IQ. Leonard is so in awe with her beauty that can become petty and jealous fairly easily. They’re just not meant to be together! (Photo: Release)

Blair and Chuck were, in theory, a perfect match. Unfortunately, they were awful together. They abused each other both physically and emotional, not to mention they essentially only got married so she wouldn’t have to testify against him on court. (Photo: Release)

Blair and Chuck were, in theory, a perfect match. Unfortunately, they were awful together. They abused each other both physically and emotional, not to mention they essentially only got married so she wouldn’t have to testify against him on court. (Photo: Release)

Jamie and Cersei Lannister are *twins*, for crying out loud! Thank goodness season 7 finally saw them have a real fight. It’s starting to seem like he’s coming to his senses and might even be the one to kill his sisters in the final season. Fingers crossed! (Photo: Release)

Jamie and Cersei Lannister are *twins*, for crying out loud! Thank goodness season 7 finally saw them have a real fight. It’s starting to seem like he’s coming to his senses and might even be the one to kill his sisters in the final season. Fingers crossed! (Photo: Release)

Ted and Tracy are absolutely perfect for each other. Just as Ted and Robin were not. That’s why the series finale of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ was a fairy tale ending… that many didn’t want. (Photo: Release)

Ted and Tracy are absolutely perfect for each other. Just as Ted and Robin were not. That’s why the series finale of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ was a fairy tale ending… that many didn’t want. (Photo: Release)

Sure, Helga loves Arnold. But she’s not just in love with him—she’s obsessed. Not only that, she’s verbally abusive to him and goes to great lengths to sabotage his relationships with other girls. (Photo: Release)

Sure, Helga loves Arnold. But she’s not just in love with him—she’s obsessed. Not only that, she’s verbally abusive to him and goes to great lengths to sabotage his relationships with other girls. (Photo: Release)

Piper and Alex from ‘Orange Is The New Black’ are so toxic together they literally end up going to jail. I mean—their relationship began with Alex bringing Piper into the drug ring she works for. What else could we expect? (Photo: Release)

Piper and Alex from ‘Orange Is The New Black’ are so toxic together they literally end up going to jail. I mean—their relationship began with Alex bringing Piper into the drug ring she works for. What else could we expect? (Photo: Release)

Walter White’s shady business forced Skyler to compromise her values. He might have been in survival mode throughout the series, but Walt put his wife in an impossible position by becoming a drug dealer. (Photo: Release)

Walter White’s shady business forced Skyler to compromise her values. He might have been in survival mode throughout the series, but Walt put his wife in an impossible position by becoming a drug dealer. (Photo: Release)

Carrie and Big generally make each other unhappy in every possible way. Big refuses to commit, and still Carrie is obsessed with him. No wonder creator Darren Starr didn’t want them to end up together! (Photo: Release)

Carrie and Big generally make each other unhappy in every possible way. Big refuses to commit, and still Carrie is obsessed with him. No wonder creator Darren Starr didn’t want them to end up together! (Photo: Release)

Don Draper’s relationship with third wife Megan is the one that snowballs beyond his cheating and results in dishonesty and sneakiness on both sides. (Photo: Release)

Don Draper’s relationship with third wife Megan is the one that snowballs beyond his cheating and results in dishonesty and sneakiness on both sides. (Photo: Release)

Some fictional couples have pretty much ruined real life with their epic, romantic, forever-lasting love stories. These toxic relationships on TV, however, remind us that being alone isn’t always that bad.

Jim and Pam and Marshall and Lily didn’t a great job showing us what real love is supposed to look like. Unfortunately, not every fan-favorite pairing sets a positive example. These iconic couples just should absolutely not be together—no matter how much they are romanticized by the media.

Now that Valentine’s Day is behind us, let’s take a look at the 10 most toxic relationships on TV history—from the love stories that are unhealthy on purpose to the ones that are supposed to be genuinely endearing.